All I Need
by yami1234
Summary: “Fang. Open your eyes.” I whispered, tears welling in my own. The flock gathered around me, silently. He didn’t make a move. I shook him harder, tears now slipping down my cheeks.“Please Fang. Don't leave us. Open your eyes.” Sequel to: Don't Let Go
1. Strong Enough

**Here is the long awaited sequel to Don't Let Go. Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to review! **

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_**Fang's POV**  
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_"Can you see it? God, please tell me you can see it to? It's here. It wants. It's cold… So cold…"_

_"Max, can you hear it? Can you hear its hallow breathing? I can, I can hear every ounce, every fiber of its being, breathing." __Inhale… Exhale… Inhale… Exhale…_

_"It's breathing for needs, not because it wants to. It breathes to smell for its prey. Please, Max, please tell me you know what I am talking about. I swear. I swear to you I am not crazy. This is what the world I was in looks like, the one I was trapped in, for what seemed like an eternity."_

_"I want to get out of here; I want to escape so badly. However, every time I think I found a way out, it snatches me back in, and constricts my body, leaving me breathless, and wanting more. But Max… I don't want it anymore. I don't want to be here alone. You have to help me. You have to help me find a way out. I can't do this alone. I never could. You are the only one that can help me." No reply…_

_I glanced to my right, then my left, quickly. "No… oh god no… Max!" I spun behind me, doing a full circle before doing it repeatedly, calling out her name. "Max! Max! Please! Don't leave me here alone! Help me!" I stop breathing heavily, feeling the salty tears glide down my cheeks. It got her to. It had to. It took her while I wasn't looking, and now I was alone again. That has to be it, it has her. She would never leave me right? Right? She promised._

_She promised to never let go. Yeah, it has her. It is my fault it has her now. I should have never brought her here, but she came on her own. I had to remember that. She wanted to be here… but I didn't want her here and she knew it. "No… don't take her, anyone but her! Here you want me back! You can have me! I will go without a fight this time, just let her go!" I screamed into the vast darkness. Silence._

_All I got was that eerie, silence. But, just as quickly, as that silence came, laughter, sick and twisted laughter broke through the barrier of my silence. It laughed at me. Mocked me, knowing that it can take what it wanted and never had to give anything in return._

_If darkness, and evil had a voice, that was it, that deafening laughter, was it. I closed my eyes sinking to the ground, curling into a tight ball, the only place I could find some sort of comfort. Like a scared little child, I laid there, trying to block out the laughter. I just wanted out, was that so much to ask for? I never did anything to get here. What could I have possibly done to be in this hell?_

_"Max!" I scream. "Anyone! Please anyone! Help me!"_

**Max's POV**

"Fang… Fang…" I whispered, shaking him roughly. His head rolled side to side, the thick tears gliding down his cheeks. "Fang… Wake up, its just a dream…" I said, a little louder, hoping not to wake anyone else up. He mumbled something faintly under his breath. It was to quick for me to catch, but I had a feeling I knew what it was. It was the same words every night. Alone. Darkness. Help.. These were the words he mumbled, the words that I wanted to take away from him. To replace with something much better, like together, and light, and saved.. It sounded corny to me, but I didn't care. I didn't care about anything like that, so as long as it helped him. As long as it helped him move away from these dreams, these feelings.

Every night for almost two months now, he has had the same nightmare. The same nightmare, that he refuses to talk to anyone about.

I felt his body clench, his hands becoming fists at his sides, so tight that his nails dug into his palm, creating a small trail of blood. His nightmares, the ones he never talked about, were getting worse with each day. At first I could wake him up so easily, but now.. I gulped, shaking him more forcefully than I intended. It was becoming harder to wake him from this nightmare. Some nights, I couldn't wake him up, and those were the nights I had to wake up Angel and have my baby do, what I couldn't. Her ability to control minds, have been a help with nights like these. I glanced up quickly to Angel, who was asleep next to her brother. She was the only other one I told, in person about what was happening. The old me would have tried to protect her from what Fang was dreaming, but it had come to a point, where I set aside that protectiveness and let her help me. I needed her to help me, help him, It was a sick and twisted cycle that we played every single night. But

I couldn't wake her, not tonight. They all were exhausted. We had flown for hours, trying to find some place to settle for a few days. Even though I tried my best, and knew Fang tried to, to hide what was going on, the others knew. The others knew of our nightly struggles, and after a long debate, I had forced them all to let me handle it, that they didn't need to worry about this. If only they knew. If only they could imagine what I went through each day, they would never let me do it. They barely let Fang do anything without protest. But Fang was different.

I let go of him, sliding away, unable to wake him from this terror that what ever being was putting him through. Tonight was defiantly the worst. He mumblings became louder, until I could hear everything he was saying, every word that was forced between his clenched teeth. I scooted back over to him, prying his hand open, and sliding my own in between them, ignoring the stinging feelings I felt as his nails dug into my skin. I used my free hand, brushing away a few tears from his pale, sweaty face. I lent over, feeling his quickened breaths on my face, its uneven movements, as though each were forced. I ignored that idea, glancing at him again.

"Fang. I got you. I'm right here.." I whispered, locking my lips with his. I closed my eyes, kissing him harder. Please let him be alright, let this work, just this one time.

When I felt no movement back against me, I was about to pull away. But as if someone were answering my prayers, I felt a small twinge, a single movement, and then as if at once, I felt complete and synchronized movement with me. I felt tears slip from my eyes, happily, finally willing myself to pull away to breathe. As I pulled up, my eyes locked with his. They were blood shot and filled with so many emotions. Pain, terror, love. I placed my hand on his cheek carefully. "Fang." I whispered.

His eyes seemed frozen against mine, as he managed to detangle my hand from his, and wrap his arms around my waist. I wrapped my arms around him, recuperating the gesture, pulling him up. His body pressed tightly against mine, his grip becoming a constricted vise. This was yet another routine that I had grown accustomed to after waking him up, but I didn't mind, not one bit. The fact that he was awake, and hugging me, was a sign that he was aware that I was here with him, like I have been, and will continue to be. I hope it will be a sign to him, that he can talk to me, that he doesn't have to be afraid anymore. That I was here to help him.

After what seemed like hours, I felt him relax, his body seemingly feel limp in my grasp. I pulled away, slowly, readying myself to pull him back in at the first sign of change. Finally I pulled back, far enough now to see into his eyes. They were no longer filled with the pain and terror I had seen earlier, but was now replaced by the mask he put up when he didn't want anyone to see what he was really feeling. Even though it was his best attempt to reassure me that he was fine, I could see through his mask, being perhaps the only one who could. Under the hallow mask, lied the vast pools of pain and terror. I wish he would just let me in. I needed to be in, to pull him out of the darkened waters he was drowning in. His mask though in essence, I knew, was also his way of getting comfort. Knowing that he could push aside his feelings, and lock them away, even if just for the shortest amount of time, it gave him piece of mind, and a sense of safety. But the mask I knew, in a matter of time, was going to break, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to take on what ever was behind it.

But… I had to do something, to prevent that from happening if I could. If I couldn't stop the nightmares, I had to stop something. No matter how small it seemed, maybe this one small thing will be the key to getting rid of the bigger things that were driving our lives out of control. Just maybe, it could make everything alright.

I sighed, detangling myself from him. I looked up, willing myself to ask the question I asked every night, hoping to myself, that he was going to answer and let me in.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I whispered. He shook his head, moving towards the fire that was barely burning. He picked up a stick, poking it a few times, before just staring blankly at it. I watched him for a few minutes, before sitting next to him. I glanced between him and the fire, before releasing a breath of air slowly. Another night of false hope.

"Your worrying the others, you know that right?" I began, folding my hands on top of my lap, and looking into the flame. I wasn't expecting an answer. It was more of an open statement.

"They don't need to be worried." He replied a minute or so later. I jumped a little at his response, surprised more by the fact that he answered my question. I glanced back at him, seeing his gaze still fixed on the small light burning in front of us. I could feel that small flicker of hope in me reignite. Maybe, tonight would be it.

"Well, you know them…" I sighed lightly. "And… You're worrying me to Fang… No not worrying, scaring me. The dreams are getting worse; it is getting harder to wake you up from them. It…

"What do you want me to do then, Max" He cut me off, his gaze my focused on me. I looked at him, surprised, and afraid. The flame died, quickly drowned out by the cold wind of the night.

He held out his hands in front of me pointing at me, then back to himself, then at his head, and to the sky, everywhere. His hands flew quickly, my mind not even registering where they were pointing, except for the fact that he looked like a mad man, as his voice got louder with every passing second.

"Tell me Max! You're the one that thinks you know what is best for me! Tell me! Do you wanna know about the dream? You wanna know about the place I go to? About the dark thoughts that what ever this fucked up place is, wants me to do, what it tells me to do Max!" His eyes were livid, but something about them, made me slide away in fear.

This never happened, not once did he ever raise his voice to me. Not once, in my life, through the school, through the times we have been together, had he… Ever, threatened me. Though I know the threat wasn't directed at me directly, none the less at anyone, something about the way he said it, about what it tells him to do. It almost seemed as though he were making it out on me, that its goals, its plan was for me alone.

I have been through much in my life, we all have, and we all have experienced something that has changed us in more than one way. I thought that it was all over though, that we could just pick up and leave, learning to live with what ever changed inside of us, but I was wrong. What ever happened, it seemed was only the beginning. The thought itself made me sick to my stomach, my heart clench, and my body quake. I couldn't go through anything like that again. I could handle the school, I could handle the tests, I could handle erasers, but I couldn't handle the thoughts of what I went through with almost losing him, with the thought of my family almost falling apart. The glue we had was reapplied and pressed tightly together.

I had wanted to believe it was superglue, that we were never going to come close as we did falling apart, falling apart, falling away from each other, but the glue seems to be breaking again. It's starting with Fang. His nightmares, his anger, our family couldn't handle another experience like this. I was only a teenager. I wasn't ready to handle this on my own, but I know I have to, I had to be strong for my family. No one was strong enough to hold us all together the last time, and I learned a valuable lesson from it, I had to be the one. I was the leader… But.. How long could I possible keep this up for. Even the strongest fall, but I couldn't afford to. I couldn't afford to let my family, to let him go, and fall through the cracks, but what was the cost to me…. He hurt me. His words, his actions, his hostility towards me, made my heart constrict. I was hurting, and falling quick. How..

No… I couldn't let myself think that… I…

I felt something quickly fall down my face. My mind came back to reality, realizing that my eyesight was blurred, that my world was blurred along with it. Unforeseen tears, trailed down my cheeks, drops hitting my hands. I tried my best to wipe them away. I would not allow him to see that he hurt me. That would make him feel worse. I wasn't going to hurt him, despite knowing that he was hurting me. I could handle it. I was the great Maximum Ride; I could handle any kind of hurt. I had to. I had to be strong, for not only him, but also the rest of my family, for myself. Being strong meant survival, weakness could not be shown, or it could cost us our lives.

But there was a part of me. A part of me that longed to openly cry when I was hurting, that screamed to let me show him how much he had hurt me, how much I was suffering to, but I silenced that part. Told it to shut up and never come back, but this time was different. Maybe it was because the way I thought about us, our relationship, changed me. The way everything was happening so quickly, and slipping out of my control. That I could only handle so much before I needed someone to be there for me to cry on. That I wanted him to see, that I wasn't as invincible as I made myself look.

I was brought back from my thoughts when I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. The hand gently moved upward, wiping away the tears from my cheeks. I realized whose hand it was , the familiarity of it only brought more tears to my eyes. He saw how much he hurt me, he knew what he had done, and he was here being the strong one.

I was supposed to be the strong one… wasn't I?....... No. it wasn't a question.... I had to be.

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**Was it good? I hope so, it was really interesting writing it because I wanted to introduce a little introduction to Fang's world, as well as give Max's perspective on reality. Also for those who read the thing in my last story, Don't Let Go, chapter 9 with the prelude for this story, I think there was a little confusion. The person talking and thinking and acting is Fang, not Max. Sorry for the confusion there, but you will see what I mean better when the chapter with that scene comes. Thanks again for reading and don't forget to review, pretty please!!!!**

**Bree**


	2. Tearing into Desperation

**Hellllooo everyone! Wow.. its been.. a very very long time since Ive last updated and for that I do apologize, but for those of you who haven't entered college yet with a full time job.. you'll see. Any who, I had a little more trouble getting back into this story only because it was a long time like I said since I last updated and was ready to scratch it all together. That was until I was cleaning out my documents and came across this little piece.**

**I read through it once, mind you it is now 2am that I'm doing this, but in any case I feel this is better than nothing. I plan on getting back into this story now that the ball got rolling, but this chapter was re-edited because my the last one that was up was thrown together in a last ditch effort to save the story. But I feel as though this redone version is much better cleaned up and written better than the other. However, Ill let you all be the judge of that. I perhaps think though, this obsession started again from the latest book which in my opinion was very well done and even though the cliff hanger and all this love triangle stuff I feel as though it gave it the edge the series was in desperate need for... *cough final Warning *Cough*.**

**Anyway, thank you all again for bearing with me! And now, without further adieu, the next chapter.**

**A/N: I don't own. End of story.**

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_**Max's Point of View: (2 weeks later)**_

Desperation, fear, anxiety, loss all wrapped into one little tight ball of fun. They pretty much summed up my life at the moment.

I glanced at my right, watching as the younger children ran ahead, jumping into the oncoming waves. I smiled lightly. At least they could find some way to laugh in this situation. I watched as Iggy, made his way towards the ocean to, only to get splashed in the face. This moment made me remember of a time not too long ago. It wasn't this beach, but it had been another beach somewhere where we all played in the water. I sighed, closing my eyes, trying to relieve that memory. It was back in a time when our biggest threat was erasers, finding a place to sleep, or deciding where to eat. It was moments like that, that as leader, I was able to function properly.

I always had an agenda, always had answers, always found some way out of a sticky situation. But so much has changed within the last year or so. My roles as leader was still there, I couldn't deny that, but so much more had changed. I used to have all the answers, now I wasn't sure what to do, and the kids were looking to me to figure out what to do. I just…. Didn't have an answer. I have been trying to be strong for them, I really was. I sighed, lying back in the sand, looking up at the sky. But how could I be strong, if everything around me was falling apart?

I know the others were trying to be strong to, and I was so proud of them for it. Ever since our close encounter with death two months ago, they seemed to grow up quickly. Too quickly, in my eyes. Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel, were only children, but in many aspects, they held more wisdom than I did. They were stronger than I could ever be. However, despite that fact, none of us could deny the changes that were happening with each of us. The most obvious being Fang. Our nightly struggles for the most part seemed to remain the same.

It hadn't gotten worse, but at the same time, it hadn't gotten better either. There were times though, when he would sleep peacefully through the night that I thought, that maybe he was finally getting better. But the very next night, the mumbles, screams, and ultimately dreams had started again. It was a sick never ending cycle that was uncontrollable, and undeniable. It had even reached a point, that the others tried their best to avoid him. His nightly torments, had taken effect on his mental stability. He's become more isolated, prone to rages, and sometimes, would stare off into space for hours. He wasn't the same person he was before all this happened, and I was still struggling to find out why. We all knew what happened to him, to us, but none of us could still understand what really happened.

How much longer could I possibly keep us together? How much longer could I even keep myself together? I pulled my legs to my chest, wrapping my arms around them tightly, trying to keep the tears that were threatening to spill inside. I couldn't break down. I couldn't give in just yet. I had to be strong. I had to be strong enough to move forward, for my family and for Fang. I didn't care what it would cost me in the end. I just needed to be strong enough for them, that was all that mattered.

"Max. Are you okay?" A voice asked from in front of me. I jumped slightly, quickly wiping my sleeve across my eyes before setting my gaze on the small girl that stood in front of me.

Her eyes locked with mine, and I could see the concern and worry in them. I took a deep breath, nodding, forcing the smile to spread across my face. It was my cover up, my mask; I guess would be the best way to describe it. However, mine wasn't as good as Fang's was, not by a long shot.

Angel walked over to me, her soaked hair plastering itself to her forehead. She sat next to me, and took my hand. I watched her carefully, as she looked at her hand and then to mine, seemingly noticing the differences in size. Her hand was small, delicate, but slightly calloused, and dirty. It held with it, a youthfulness that I had yearned to hold onto again. It didn't seem that long ago, that we were back in Colorado, safe and comforted in the E-house. The memories there were the best ones I ever had, before Jeb left that was. After that, life got complicated, and the young Maximum Ride was forced to grow up and assume responsibilities that should have been left for an adult. I sighed, looking back at her hands, gazing at my own. They were larger than hers, dried, calloused, and dirty. They had scrapes and scars. It reminded me of a hand that should have belonged to an older person, who had experienced more in life than we all should have. I felt Angel squeeze my hand gently, her fingers wrapping as tightly as they could around mine.

"It's going to be alright Max." she whispered. I smiled, a little less forcefully this time.

"I know Angel. Don't worry, I'll figure something out." I replied, looking back at the others play in the water, as the sun began to set.

It remained me of a cheesy Hollywood movie ending. The sun is setting behind a happy family, and all in life is perfect. Was this God's way of taunting me? Was this some kind of sick joke? I gazed away from the water, forgetting that Angel was sitting next to me, probably hearing all my thoughts.

I felt her squeeze my hand again. "You keep saying I." She stated, looking at our hands. I looked at her confused. "What are you talking about sweetie?"

She looked back at me, her eyes tearing. It pained me seeing her like that.

"You keep trying to do this all alone Max, but we are here to. Just because we are younger doesn't mean we can't help to."

I didn't say anything. What was there I could say. How can I ask them to help me, when I had no idea what it was that I needed help with, what I needed to fix. I sighed and just shook my head not allowing anymore thoughts to pass through knowing she was listening in. She was always listening in, just as Fang grip was loosening. Instead of letting my thoughts take over, I settled back on the emotions instead; desperation, fear, and anxiety. They were all just the beginning of this final ride.

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**Yeah! This chapter is done! Of course all you awesome people know the drill. Any reviews would be greatly appreciated. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**~Bree**


	3. Reflections in the fire

**Wow, sorry its been a long time since Ive updated this story I know. Hopefully fans out there didn't lose interest. I've taken some time away to focus on school and my novel, but I'm back now and eager to continue with this story. As you all well know the final book in the series will make its appearance Aug 8 (i think) in the USA and that's exciting news, yet also very sad to see such a great series end.**

**Also, you all might notice that my style of writing has changed slightly, and that is because I'm in the mindset of my novel's writing. But I think you all will like it. xD**

**With that in mind I hope you enjoy the next chapter of All I Need.**

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Silence. Utter and complete silence. It wasn't an unusual sensation I experienced, but it wasn't one I particularly enjoyed. In fact, if there was one thing I hated it was the silence. For silence brought out the deepest fears of our mind, our body, and our soul. For in silence lingered the unknown, the emptiness, the thumping heart calling out into the silence like a beating drum.

I broke from my thoughts immediately tensing as I heard a noise. I quickly looked around scanning the area seeing no other signs of movement. I remained fixated where I was, my eyes still tense on the surroundings before I jumped hearing the crackling sound again. I glanced in the direction I now heard the noise, staring at the flame that was burning in front of me as it crackled again. I sighed weakly before relaxing. It wasn't uncommon to be awoken up by other means, so I knew my response was nothing out of the ordinary. I took a deep breath exhaling slowly, as I stared into the flame momentarily forgetting again why it was that I was still awake, and why I hadn't awoke Iggy to cover. I racked my brain trying to think as I watched the small flame that I had not too long ago rekindled, dance in front of me.

It wasn't unlike me to forget such a meager detail. I had to remember everything, every sound, touch, feeling, and event. Everything. For one loss of seemingly useless information could be our destination to death. I shuddered slightly at the dark thought, shaking my head. Where did that come from?

Sure I was accustomed to horrendous things happening to me... to my family, but never once... Had a thought... The thought of death crossed my mind so willingly.…. I paused biting my lip as my mind stopped mid thought. My train of thought had been so boldly interrupted by a slight twitch coming from my legs. As I glanced down, the sudden answers to my questions made themselves apparent. I couldn't help but smile a little as I glanced down at his sleeping form. I lightly trailed my hand over his hair a few times listening to his heavy breathing. I had forgotten why I was still up, but now I realized why.

I sighed glancing back towards the small flame after making sure the others seemed okay, after making sure he seemed okay. It wasn't the first night I had stayed awake these last few weeks, just as I knew it wouldn't be my last. I looked back over towards my family a few minutes later taking in their calm sleeping forms. They had gone through so much in such a short period of time, it was a wonder any of them could find the will to sleep without nightmares. Of course, I wasn't going to complain though. This was our luxury, our one time to relax like, well I guess like normal children. As close as flying kids go sleeping on the ground in the middle of the woods was as close to luxury as we got sometimes.

Angel turned in her sleep, shifting closer to Nudge who had her arm draped over her. Angel, she was growing up so fast. They all were, but she was different. She was my baby. She was the one of us who in her short existence experienced more than anyone would experience in a normal lifetime and yet, yet that little girl persevered through it all. Sometimes it resulted in tears and sometimes it resulted in anger, but all that is erased when I see her like this or when I see her smile. It reminds me, if just for one moment, that although she is tough, she is just a little girl who needs protecting. I sighed. Apart of me felt like I ignored that fact over the last few weeks. My mind had become so focused on Fang, that at times I would admit, to myself of course, that I forgot my family was there. If they hadn't been there to remind me of that, I would have thought they never existed.

I turned my attention then to Gazzy who was sleeping next to his best friend with a giant grin on his face. I chuckled softly having a feeling I knew what he was dreaming of. No doubt about the next big bomb he and his older brother were going to create.

I didn't have to think much on Nudge or Iggy. Sure they had been affected as easily as we all had by what had happened, but I knew that they were old enough to understand more than the younger ones did. We had already spoken together, just the three of us the night we had left my mother's house. All their fears and worries were spilled out in a giant tidal wave that ended in tears and hugs for most of that night. But it had been after that night that I saw a change in both. It wasn't a bad change, but a change in them, within them. They both seemed more confident in themselves. Nudge probably felt like us older ones since she had been included in our talk. She was one of us now. She was older and more mature, then the little chatter box I had first encountered.

Iggy, I wasn't sure how he felt. He wasn't typically the one to just come out and say how he feels when it comes to things like that, but I could tell to that he had changed. He smiles and laughs more than he had since Fang had been shot. But it truthfully felt like that for all of us. We all felt a sort of peace overcome us when he finally opened his eyes. It had been like we were flying through a dark cloud with no end in sight. For Iggy that was more realistic to imagine. I couldn't possibly tell how he felt after that dark cloud had been raised.

I took a deep breath looking away from them all. I couldn't possibly know how any of them truly felt even if they told me. The fear, the uncertainty, the struggle each of them had to endure is something only they could ever feel. Just as I knew, no matter how much they wanted to help, they could never understand the way I had felt, the way I still fear. That balancing on the edge of a cliff with your wings bound. It was how I felt at this moment. Despite them all being here, despite us all being safe and alive, I knew, we all knew that this momentary peace was going to leave us as fast as it came. It would be a matter of time before we were tracked down again, before we would once again be uprooted and fighting for our lives. That was something I was prepared for. It was something that had come to no surprise for me. But now, the playing field had changed. It had changed to encompass more than just flyboys or the school. No. Now it the playing field was changed to include something we couldn't fight. Something I had no control over and no answers for. Now the field had changed to something imaginary, only in the mind of Fang. Fang….

I looked down at him again seeing he was still sleeping peacefully. I released the breath I forgot that I had been holding as I ran my hand over his hair again. The playing field was on a whole new level, a whole new arena. I wasn't sure if Fang was yet willing to let any of us into that playing field just yet. His approach on the matter was solely his own. If only he could truly see how much it hurt me to see him struggling against an unseen enemy. An enemy he thought he had to fight alone. But that was Fang. He wasn't one to openly ask for help. That wouldn't stop me though. It wouldn't stop me from penetrating that wall that he had built between us. I was going to break it down with everything that I had. That bomb that went off in my own mind when I had heard the first time to prepare for the worst from my mother was now being cleaned up. The small world in my mind was finally being rebuilt, slowly, but it was happening and I was going to do everything I could to keep that other ticking bomb that still waited there from going off. I knew this explosion had the power to do much more damage than the first and I knew that I wouldn't have the strength to rebuild again. So before it goes off I'm going to keep trying and I will get him to let me fight.

But that was for another night. Tonight was our moment of peace. Tonight was nothing but rest and gathering of thoughts. I glanced one final time back down at him knowing that if I fought hard enough things had to be okay. It was my reassurance that he was okay. With every deep calm breath he took and released I felt better. With every shift he made that didn't resemble a flinch or jerk. With every passing moment there was no mumbling or screaming, I was assured that he was going to be okay. I might not yet have been able to figure out what went on in those dark dreams, but at least, here in the real world, I could do my part and provide security and safety for times like these. Of course I'd wake him before the others got up, so they wouldn't worry seeing their brother, their father figure looking so vulnerable. But at this instance, even for this brief of time, I was content to let him sleep, to dream whatever peaceful dream he may or may not have been having. As long as I was able to do battle with whatever beat tormented him, and win I knew I could keep this up. I could be strong enough to save him, to keep my family together. I smiled a little brighter now, the earlier instances of the night seeming to float away with the smoke from the fire as it rose to the sky. For right now, I was the invincible Maximum Ride and I would do everything I possibly could to maintain that title.

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**Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it as much as Ive enjoyed writing it. ^.6. Review if you like. Until Next time ...**

**~Bree**


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